Behind her in the barn aisle a chicken squawked loudly, and Wings lifted his head and stepped to the door, dribbling grain over Haley’s arm as he stared out. Haley frowned, glancing from Wings to the grain raining down onto the floor, and back again. “Hey,” she said. “I just realized you haven’t had your teeth done in a while. How long has it been, anyway?” By then the pony had lost interest in the action in the aisle and returned his attention to his bucket. But Haley wasn’t really watching him anymore. She was staring into space, trying to remember the last time the equine dentist had visited. Last year around Memorial Day, was it? Or had it been longer than that? She spun on her heel and hurried down the barn aisle, dodging the cat lounging in the middle. Bandit had been sniffing around the feed alcove, but he barked and dashed after her as she raced across the barnyard. “Sorry, boy. Can’t come in,” Haley said breathlessly, nudging the dog back with the toe of her boot as she let herself through the white picket gate leading into the backyard.
